


all that I've known to be of love, and I'm gentle

by Caracalliope



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Best Friends, Consent Issues, Other, Sex Pollen, Sexual Orientation Issues, Surveillance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 22:52:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18456254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caracalliope/pseuds/Caracalliope
Summary: Juno and Mick Mercury are captured, observed, and subjected to stimulation.





	all that I've known to be of love, and I'm gentle

"Jayjay, you're creeping me out."

"Me! I'm creeping you out! We are in the middle of a torture scene, Mercury, and I'm the one creeping you out!"

"Well, yeah."

I opened my mouth, and closed it again. I wasn't sure yet whether this was Sasha's fault (again) or mine ( _again_ ), but Mick Mercury deserved better than to get raped and recorded for the amusement of the shadows lurking in the ceiling.

"Okay," I said. "We're probably getting rescued. Right, that's how this works? We both hold out, and the cavalry arrives before we actually do it. Easy."

"Uh huh," Mick said, sprawling on the floor. His braids spread out around him, like a wiry halo. I hated the shadows so much, for taking all our clothes. "Whatever you say, Juno."

I sat down beside him. Not directly next to him, but there wasn't much room in the container for personal space. I wasn't sure when they last let us sleep.

"Except," Mick said. "Tell me if this is crazy, buddy, but won't it be easier if we just - y'know - do it?"

One time, between Annie and cop school, I had a little bit of a crush on him. Well, a few times. Not as much as I did on Sasha. But my denial mechanism wasn't doing its job. I remembered one night when I got very drunk and woke up cuddled in his lap.

It wasn't a good thing to remember. Not right then, trapped in a room with non-sentient cameras recording every movement. The shadows' bioweapon had to be taking hold, because I was getting hard. I didn't turn around to see if Mick was, too.

I sighed.

"I'm not even what you're into," I said. "At all."

"Uh, I'm pretty sure I have nothing against grumpy P.I.s who keep saving my life?"

"You're not into guys, Mercury, and you're sure as hell not into ladies."

He made a soft noise, amusement, agreement, whatever. His hand landed on the back of my neck. Soft hands, like he never worked a day in his life, like he never drove his hoverbike across the desert to bail me out. I think I leaned back into the touch - I hope I did.

"Let's just do it," he said, and his voice was sweet and hesitant. "If you want to, I mean. I know you hate giving them what they want - the shadows, and everyone, I mean - but this one thing? Jay, it's really not that bad. I can make it good."

I didn't move, didn't speak. Didn't pull away when he kissed my nape and my shoulder blades.

"You'll get us out of this," he whispered, directly into my ear. "But let me take care of this right now."

My name is Juno Steel, former Private Eye, current hostage. My second-best friend is Mick Mercury, former drunk. He's tall enough to curl up around me when the shadows turn off the heating. And his kisses, those warm me up too.

**Author's Note:**

> We as a society need even more emotionally intense sex pollen podcast fics!
> 
> The title is from the Sufjan Stevens song, _Mercury_.


End file.
